I 



EXPERIMENTS IN BREEDING SWEET CORN. 203 



All discussion of variation in the characters of the ears 

 tabled is deferred to another place. 



In addition to the numerical data comprised in Tables i and 

 2, other matters not easily taken account of quantitatively were 

 considered in making selections. These included such things 

 as the straightness of the rows, covering of tip and butt, color 

 of grain, shape of kernel, etc. 



Work in 1908. 



In the spring of 1908 the 165 selected ears obtained from the 

 1907 work were planted at Farmington. Each type of corn 

 had a plot to itself, so located that there was no risk of a trans- 

 ference of pollen from one to the other. These plots were 

 also so located as to reduce to the lowest possible degree the 

 likelihood of foreign pollen from neighboring farms fertilizing 

 this corn. As a matter of fact there is no reason to suppose 

 that any crossing did occur.- These plots were planted on the 

 farm of Mr. J. H. Heath, who also attended to the cultivation 

 of the corn during its growth. Throughout the growing sea- 

 son of 1908 one of the writers (F. M. Surface) was in the 

 field studying the growth and other matters connected with this 

 corn. 



Plot I was planted with the Type I (Dennett and Ellis) seed. 

 This plot was located on bottom or "intervale" land lying con- 

 tiguous to the Sandy River to the west of Mr. Heath's house. 

 The Type II seed (Crosby) was planted in Plot II. This plot 

 was on upland ground, and was located east of Mr. Heath's 

 house and directly in the rear of the Burnham and Morrill corn 

 factory. The soil in both plots was a light sandy loam, of the 

 type best adapted for the growing of sweet corn, and was in an 

 excellent condition as regards natural fertility. Plot I in 1907 

 was in the grass period of a regular rotation practiced by ]Mr. 

 Fleath. An excellent crop of hay was raised from the field 

 of which this corn plot was a part in that year. Plot II was in 

 potatoes in 1907. On Plot II a heavy dressing of barnyard 

 manure was plowed under in the fall of 1907. Because of the 

 risk of a spring overflow of the Sandy River it was not advis- 

 able to do this in the case of Plot I. That plot was well ma- 

 nured and ]il()\vcd in the sjiring of 1908. Both were thorough- 

 ly harrowed and had a good seed bed prepared. Deeper har- 

 rowing would have been of benefit in the case of Plot I. 



